Tag Archives: suicidality

You are not talking about “patients” or “participants” or “transsexuals.” You are talking about people.

If someone commits suicide during the study, I want to read about it in the abstract, not buried in the methods section. So somebody died and didn’t participate in your study – that is not the important story.

Why did they commit suicide? When did they commit suicide – before or after medical treatment? What medical and therapeutic treatments were they getting? Were there any underlying mental health issues that weren’t being treated? Did they need more support during and after transition? Were they properly diagnosed? Did they have depression? Were they trauma survivors?

You don’t get to ignore their death in your conclusions. The person’s death is part of your results. Suicide needs to be reported in your results and it needs to be discussed.

Most of all, you need to talk about what we can do to reduce the number of suicides and suicide attempts among transgender people.

Remove any firearms, alcohol, drugs or sharp objects that could be used in a suicide attempt

Call the U.S. National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 800-273-TALK (8255)

Take the person to an emergency room or seek help from a medical or mental health professional

Two Years After My Suicide Attempt, I’m Still Living and Sharing

“Waking up two years ago gave me opportunities, some of which seem obvious but some of which I’m still discovering. I have the opportunity to continue the life I began and do the things I want to do. I have the opportunity to offer help to people who would have helped me if only I had shared what was going on.”